


She Never Liked Losing a Battle

by ivanolix



Category: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: Canon - TV, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Female Characters, Gen, Season/Series 02, Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-02
Updated: 2010-07-02
Packaged: 2017-10-25 15:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/271865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivanolix/pseuds/ivanolix





	She Never Liked Losing a Battle

It was easy to blame it all on the fact that she hadn't had sex in weeks, after all. Some things you don't think you need until you don't have them. It made her (rightfully) annoyed at herself, and that plus uncomfortable need was enough to fool her mind for a while. But there were worse fates.

"Can't you lighten up a bit?" Richard asked with a heavy sigh after he helped the 3rd villager of the day, this time with a bridge that had been cursed.

"We didn't need to cross that bridge," Cara pointed out, hand waving. "You just wanted to help."

"That's my point," Richard answered. He sighed, "You know, a little emotion wouldn't hurt you."

Cara didn't even tap her foot as she just stood, arms crossed, brooding eyes looking everywhere but into his. Emotion did hurt, especially what she was trying to hide now, a kind of self-reproach and desire all rolled into one mess. Were he any other Lord Rahl, he would have taken her to his bed at least once, and that would have solved part of her problem.

"What?" Richard asked, frowning as he saw her contemplative and not-happy look. "Did I do something else?"

But Cara was not explaining that portion of her thoughts to him, not when it was so clearly a weakness. "Everything," she responded neatly, and turned on her heel.

Kahlan approached her by the horses where she attended to the tack, and Cara told herself that she’d preferred when icy hatred ran between them. This soft smile and close proximity only added to Cara's frustration.

"I thought you'd be glad that Richard has a good reputation among the people," she said.

Cara gave her a look. "A Mord'Sith does not advertise Lord Rahl, simply protect him. I couldn't care less how he is beloved or not."

Kahlan gave her a pointed look before shaking her head slightly. "Well, given that we have no army to back you up, I at least am glad for what we do."

"It's a waste of time," Cara declared, yanking the buckle on the saddlebag tightly.

Taking the hint for once, Kahlan backed off and away. Cara sighed, and when her horse nuzzled her chest, she absently stroked its neck. It was a good beast—calm, intelligent, loyal, deadly in battle—and so she appreciated it. But however she might appear to the others, Cara felt a boiling sea within her chest, and slowly she was realizing that she needed more than a good romp. Frowning, she walked off into the woods to shake some of this weak frustration free, perhaps even hunt and let bloodlust take the place of sex, even though it was never quite the same.

She was gone for two hours, found nothing to hunt, and started stalking back towards the group with something less than cheer in her every bone. The campfire was already set, and she approached in the cover of dusk to hear their words.

"I suppose if she doesn't ask, I can't tell her no," Richard grumbled. "But I don't like it."

"She's not your usual Mord'Sith," Kahlan admitted. "And really Richard, I think whatever she's doing is probably for the best."

"What?" Zedd asked in slight astonishment. Cara, unseen on the edges of the camp, also paused and raised her eyebrow.

"Well, she's been trying to hide half a dozen feelings for days now, and knowing her, she would let herself explode with the pressure before giving in. So it's good for her to find catharsis."

Cara's gaze narrowed, but she saw only Richard's nod and Zedd's wide-eyed surprise turn to acceptance. She was an idiot—they all knew. That simply would not do. She strolled into camp and took her seat.

"There you are," Richard said. "We're just about to eat, I assume you haven't?"

Cara gave him an indulgent look. "While you were concerned about food, I was taking care of our forgotten defenses. Just because some of them are grateful townsfolk doesn't mean they can stop all danger." A lie, of course, but it didn't bother her, considering its purpose.

She saw Richard and Kahlan share a look, and hoped that it meant what she thought. They believed everything, usually. In this case, Cara needed them to think of her the way she wanted to think of herself. Indifference was too prized a possession to lose.


End file.
